“Thankfully he chose us and I don’t think it [the Arsenal interest] was the reason for the slow start because he wasn’t the only one,” he said.

“At the moment, he’s banging in the goals and we need that to continue from now to the end of the season.

“I’m reluctant to say he’s back to his absolute best as I want more from him, but his goalscoring of late has been very good. “I think strikers go through purple patches, then there are the dark times when whatever they hit doesn’t go in. “Now you see a player full of confidence and full of running, we need a Jamie Vardy threatening defenders, getting on the shoulders and being a goal threat as well.”